Breadcrumbs

You are here:

SUNRISE SALAD

I get out of bed at 5 a.m. each morning. It's insanely early especially for someone that was once a night owl. Over time I've adjusted my life so that I can get up early and get my day started well before the sun is even awake. It's quiet that time of day and there is a peacefulness to it that I enjoy on my short commute to the gym. You see, I'm the heavy girl who's self-conscious about working out in a gym. So I go early and try to get my workout done without drawing too much attention to myself. I'm usually huffing and puffing and practically glued to my clothes with sweat by the time I get to the end of my workout. There's something satisfying about it even if the scale or my body's physical appearance doesn't show my efforts. I know I've put in the hard-work and that's what matters for now anyway. Once I'm drenched in sweat, I go to stretch then spend a moment on the mat, legs crossed, just breathing and getting myself calmed, focused and ready for the hectic day ahead. Over to the change rooms I trudge then I shower, change and zip to work. By the time I get there I'm practically ravenous. I don't eat before I go – I just can't do a workout after eating otherwise I feel sick. That's where the sunrise salad comes into play. All the components of a traditional breakfast amped up with veggies and a zesty citrus, ginger, sesame dressing. My co-workers furrow their brows as they file into the office and spot what they call my unusual choice of breakfast. One even chirps in his best Simpson's impression “You don't make friends with salad” then smiles as he wanders off. Jokes on him - what he doesn't know is that I'm not trying to make friends – at least not with anyone but myself. I'm just trying to find a place where I feel self-acceptance. So,damn tasty sunrise salad, for me it is!

Here's what you'll need:

3 leaves romaine lettuce – shredded

1/3 cup beet slaw

1 slice peameal bacon – cooked and cut into strips

1 egg – hard boiled

1/6 cucumber – diced

10 grape tomatoes – halved

1/2 small avocado - sliced

1 tangelo – juice and zest

1 tsp tahini

¼ tsp ginger – freshly grated

salt and pepper to taste

STAGE 1

Add the tahini, ginger, zest and juice from the tangelo, salt and pepper to a small jar and shake to combine.

STAGE 2

Add the romaine to your bowl and top with the beet slaw. Pile the tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced peameal, the hard boiled egg and the avocado slices on the bed of lettuce. Drizzle the dressing over top and enjoy.

TIPS

I like tangelos – It's a flavour cross between an orange and a tangerine but if you can't find them you could use clementine, tangerine, orange or even grapefruit. If you use grapefruit, you'll likely want to add a little honey to balance out the flavour.

Peameal bacon (or Canadian bacon as it's known elsewhere in the world) is low in calories and fat but has that slightly smoky bacon flavour. If you can't find it you can use ham instead.

Tahini offers an intense punch of sesame flavour. I don't add additional oil to the dressing because the Tahini naturally contains some. If you can't get your hands-on Tahini you can sub it for sesame oil – just use about half the amount.

This tasty summer salad creation is courtesy of Laurie Martel - No, I'm not a chef but I love cooking, baking, mixing cocktails and sharing my creations as a way to express myself